


Nothing I Can Do

by willowharmony13



Category: Green Gables Fables
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-01
Updated: 2015-02-01
Packaged: 2018-03-09 23:01:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3267566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/willowharmony13/pseuds/willowharmony13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The aftermath of "the thing" from Gilbert's point of view.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing I Can Do

She’d been breaking into his heart for months. He’d never tell anyone, though. Jane would shrug and say, “So tell her then,” which was impossible. If she broke a locker board over his head for teasing her, she’d probably kick him in the balls or something for admitting he likes her, or worse, feel sorry for him. Ruby would squeal and launch into full on shipping mode, and from what he heard of what she did to Jane and Tristan, he’d rather avoid that. Josie would… well, he was pretty sure she’d done her worst already. Sort of.

In the end, he ended up spilling his guts to Diana, her best friend. She somehow didn’t hate him like Anne did, and turned out to be a remarkably good listener. Unfortunately, her only advice fell into his exact default plan: Give her time. Wait. It didn’t exactly do anything to help the icy bolt that went through his stomach every time he saw her.

He’d just settled into his room for a long weekend of homework when his phone went off. Glancing over, he saw it was a text from Diana.

> _Matthew in hospital. I’m heading to Avonlea to be there for Anne. I’ll try to keep you updated. No promises._

The news fell on him like a ton of bricks. He managed a quick, “ _Of course. Let me know if I can do anything,”_ but he didn’t know what that would be, if anything. He tried to get his work done, but for once in his life, he couldn’t focus. All he could do was check his phone over and over and hope against hope, for Anne’s sake.

The silence extended for days, and on some level, Gilbert knew what that meant. If she couldn’t update him, it meant that either Matthew wasn’t improving, or… but he had to keep hope alive, for her.

Just as the worry was beginning to eat him alive, his phone lit up with another text from Diana, and he immediately leapt for it.

> _He’s gone. Heart attack._

"No. Oh no, oh shit fuck damn-" Gil didn’t normally swear, but something about doing it right then relieved some of the pressure. Of all the people in the world, Matthew deserved this the least. And Anne- Anne was devastated, he just knew it.

> _It was Saturday. I was helping Anne and Marilla. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner._

He quickly tapped out a reply:

> **Don’t apologize. I’m not the priority.**

After a couple of seconds thought, he sent another:

> **Give her plenty of TLC for me. I don’t have her number and… and I won’t say anything publicly until she does.**

He put his phone in his pocket and his head in his hands. He took a few deep breaths as he processed the news. After a minute, he got up and went downstairs to tell his parents he loved them, and what had happened.

The next day, before he got ready for the funeral, his phone buzzed with a twitter notification. Against all of his expectations, Anne had apparently made a video. He opened it up and pressed play.

He’d never seen her like this. She didn’t have any of the elaborate hairstyles or fancy makeup or exuberant energy that she’d always worn like armor. Soft-spoken and broken hearted, he was forced to remember once again that Anne Shirley was not a miracle, she was a girl. A young girl who had lost too much.

For months, she’d been breaking into his heart. In 61 seconds, his broke with hers.

He and his family went to the funeral, taking a pew a ways away from immediate family and friends. He managed to make eye contact with Diana and give her a quick nod from across the room. He then looked over at Anne, who was sitting straight-backed in the front row, determinedly staring at the portrait of Matthew. She seemed to know that everyone in the room was watching her, and determined to ignore them all.

 _This isn’t for us, after all_ , Gilbert thought.  _This is really for her and Marilla._

After the service, he made his way up to the front. Diana stood next to Anne, an arm placed protectively around her shoulders. Anne stood with her arms crossed so tightly, she was hugging herself, stock still and silent as mourners all crowded around her, trying to engage her. As she saw him approach, Diana gave him a small smile.

"Anne," he began once he’d made it to her. Her floor-bound eyes suddenly shot up and locked with his. "Anne," he continued, "I really… I know I have no idea what you’re going through, and I know you don’t like me much, and I know that there’s next to nothing I can do, but if you need anything-"

He was cut short by Anne stepping forward and throwing her arms around his waist, her face buried in his chest. He was shocked at first, but managed to gently place one hand on her back and the other on the back of her head.

Rubbing soothing patterns into her back with his thumb, he said in the quietest whisper, “Anything. I’ll do anything.”


End file.
